Stakeholder research & synthesis
I translate ambiguous briefs and scattered requirements into clear design direction backed by data and professional experience.
Experience
Diverse experience that spans big 4 global enterprise, tier-1 creative agencies, venture capital startups, international nonprofits, and world-class academic institutions.
Goal
To improve technology and information-based experiences in partnership with all stakeholders, especially marginalized or underserved populations.
Approach
Collaborative, interdisciplinary, equity-centered, deeply methodical, and iterative. I combine creative design thinking with scientific rigor, business acumen and AI support.
John Christiana, Global Director of UX, EY
"She was an extremely talented UX designer who not only was able to provide high quality design layouts but also understood what a good UX process delivered. She possesses a sharp eye for design. Her efforts brought clarity and elegance to the applications she worked on."
Heidi Schmalbach, PhD
Program Director, Planet Texas 2050, UT Austin
"I found Vanessa to be extremely detail-oriented, efficient, and able to translate complex challenges...into terms that our (non-expert) team could understand. She is also funny, kind and a pleasure to work with! I would hire Vanessa again without hesitation for a...role where ambiguity, stakeholder alignment, and decision-making are critical. If you need someone who can turn input from a variety of stakeholders into a coherent product direction, Vanessa is exceptional!"
Jonathan Lowell, PhD, Community Liason, Planet Texas 2050, UT Austin
"She's quite talented at synthesizing vast amounts of information quickly and clearly identifying gaps and next steps. She's also exceedingly patient...I wholeheartedly recommend working with Vanessa for your UX needs."